Shepherds tending

Albert Bogle November 21, 2022 0 1

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Jeremiah 23: 1-6 (NRSVA)

1 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. 2 Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. 3 Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.

5 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

Just for a moment look beyond the “woes” in the scripture reading today. There is something quite uplifting in this reading. God has his eye on his people, his sheep. Like a good shepherd he is going to bring back into the fold those who have lost their way.

I wonder if Jesus used this passage as his inspiration when he told the parable of the lost sheep and the good shepherd. Could you be one of the good shepherds standing on the precipice of hope, stretching out your crook?

PRAYER:

Lord,

I’m straining here

I’m on my tiptoes

Reaching out

Stretching out

I’m on the edge

Crook in hand

I’m on the precipice of hope

It’s just me

She’s terrified

He’s hurting

I don’t think I’m qualified

To keep hoping

Will I ever reach him?

Will she let me in?

I’m still standing

On tiptoes

Overstretched

Crook in hand

Crucified

Listening

For a sign

Then the whisper

“You re-membered me”

And You said

“Of course I did.”